What is moderation assist on Facebook is ramping up its support for creators by adding more comment moderation controls, including a new tool to automatically hide unwanted comments on posts. The new feature is currently being tested in a limited number of Facebook Groups, and it lets creators customize the criteria that will determine whether or not a comment should be hidden. They can also set their own custom keywords to block variations and symbols, as well as alternative spellings.

The new Admin Assist feature can be activated by a Facebook Group admin on desktop or laptop computers, and it will be rolled out to more groups over time. The Admin Assist panel will show a list of incoming posts that have been flagged or detected by AI systems and that match the criteria that has been set up by the group admin.

Navigating the Facebook Waters: A Guide to Effective Moderation Assistance

This includes things like posts with no content or those that are off topic, those with spam or phishing links, or those with offending language and other violations of the group’s community guidelines. The panel will also include an Activity Log that shows the moderator what actions Admin Assist has taken on each post.

While the new feature isn’t a complete solution for the ongoing challenges that face social media moderation, it’s a step in the right direction. By automating the most repetitive moderation tasks, it helps a creator save time and gives them a break from trolling through posts, images and videos that contain the kind of content that can lead to burnout.